Animals Within

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Nakti/Nahkti or Kaina (undetermined now oops).
Species: Emperor Scorpion

Her shiny black eyes motioned over to Lythedh. The striped nuisance made his presence known with a sickeningly sweet politeness and in getting up in her business. “I assume your travels were well?” He asked. Her claws closed slowly. "No."
Sylvester knew better, or so it appeared, than to ask her much of anything. Not many knew what ruminated around in her head, even she didn't. She stared at Lythedh, without any malice or emotion. Just plainly stared in the most dull way possible.

Quote :: Jengo
Species: East African Lion

Jengo's large paws came onto his pedestal. His tail curled to his satisfaction while the other council members came to their places. His eyes rolled slowly onto Sylvester when he was praised about his presence. "Yes, I'm sure." He rumbled. He was less than keen on passing around compliments though. "Now, we should tend to matters soon. I grow tired of idling here with little to no purpose..." His eyes reshuffled to the bear as he had entered into the room and was just as soon to look away.

Quote :: Argus A. Kouris
Species: Black Bear

Lugging his figure into the main chambers, Argus made a slow trek towards his podium. Each step somehow appeared slower than the last, but the black bear was rather content regardless of the pace. He dawdled his way over, mulling over the sweet taste of berries he had munched on prior to this moment. "Afternoon, everyone." He droned, dipping his head to one member after another, muttering their names to himself. When he managed to climb to his stand, shuffling himself the best to his ability, he cleared his throat. "Hmph. It seems...we are short of the owl again." He gruffed. "By no accounts am I complaining though." He chuckled quietly to himself.

Posts : 858

Quote :: Lythedh
Sumatran Tiger
Though the scorpions response was less than cordial, Lythedh couldn't help but be amused. He always wondered how she even joined the council, or what her purpose was. She was there longer than anyone else as far as he recalled. Shaking his head, he looked to Jengo, who looked about as amused as a thorn in his paw. "Ah yes, the purpose." What was the purpose? The snow leopards yes, to check on the progress after months, but he didn't exactly want to report the missing specimen. That would put a damper on his reputation. "I think we should see if we have any more leads on our venture. Has anyone other than Jengo's posse captured anyone in the months we've last met? Surely there were one or two roaming around near the mountains."

Quote :: Sylvester
Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf
The wolf turned his head to Argus as the boisterous male sauntered in, taking his proper seat. Sylvester smiled at his arrival, bowing his head to him as well. "Good to see you too Argus. What was your lunch for today, make that honeycomb chicken dish again?" As Lythedh spoke up, Sylvester's ears preened toward him, lifting his chin just a bit. He was little concerned for the tiger's claim, but there had indeed been change. "Once we get into it, I'll have to share of my discovery. My scouts have been rewarding me recently." The tip of his tail tapped against the cushion he sat on, eyes shining with intent. Today he might be above everyone else, unless anyone was hiding a snow leopard slave elsewhere rather than the room itself. It was a last minute call however, so bringing along a captive would be difficult. He just hoped he could rise to a higher point today after his investigation.

Quote :: Sir Samuel
Great Horned Owl and Black-Footed Ferret
With everyone seated comfortably and talking amongst themselves, Samuel dashed through the clouds, a black and cream streak leaving a shadow across the land. He tried to fly fast, but when it came to the scrolls he carried, it cut on his aerodynamic flying he liked so much. Speed was always sacrificed for smarts, even if it never worked in his favor. He was sure it would one day. But today was not that day. Wings pumping to gain air, he cut through the winds and found the gathering towers sooner than he thought. He tilted his wings down, gripped onto his scrolls tighter, and aimed straight for the meeting hall. The landing looked clear from his distance. But once his speed caught up with him, he was bulleting into the large glass window, shattering it in one fell blow as his body knocked on Argus' head and rolled in a ball onto the floor, glass landing everywhere alongside the all important scrolls he carried. Despite the hard landing, Samuel popped to his talons, fluffing out his feathers and preening out the few glass pieces that were stuck before beginning to pick up his scattered papers. "Watch out for the glass! That stuff is sharp," he commented, kicking pieces off his scrolls before moving them onto his podium and settling on his perch. "What have I missed? No new conquers, nor any new females to tag along? I'm quite disappointed, I was hoping to have a shot at the next one. Winged leopards might be ingenious." Talking as if the room was on him, he continued to preen meticulously, taking out glass from his feathers and blocking up cuts. Darn clear windows.

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Argus A. Kouris
Species: Black Bear

He slumped back on his rear, catching Sylvester's smile and comment of honeycomb chicken. The bear scratched his rotund belly, chuffing with a smile upon his maw, "ohhh delicious. Sylvester, you're gettin me hungry just thinkin' about it. Mmm MM!" He smacked his chops, giving a soft guttural laugh and smirking. His mouth watered at the thought. He made no comment regarding his land and progress, seeing how little ever happened on his territory...not that he paid little attention to anything. He was still smiling to himself when the glass window had busted open. Glass shards exploded everywhere. Argus's expression dropped at once and Sir Samuel knocked himself against the bear's thick head. He could hear it ricochet around in his skull a few times but the ringing in his ear stopped in a few seconds. He scratched at his neck with his long claws. "Well...spoke too soon," he exhaled loudly and rolled his eyes. The darn owl was nattering on about something or other. "Samuel please, it's far too early for this..." He huffed.

Quote :: Jengo
Species: East African Lion

A snooty puff of air trilled from the lion's nostrils as he rested down on his haunches, listening to Lythedh's proposal. His ears flicked forward at the smashing of glass as Samuel made his, per usual, dramatic introduction. The lion's muzzle wrinkled in his displeasure, he flattened his ears and raised his chin. "Oh please, why would we ever pair you with a snow leopard and windows -why always the windows, Samuel? We have doors!" He drew his claws over his face with a rumble and a sputter of air. "No Samuel. We will not pair you with a leopard, how many times must we tell you...Does anyone ELSE have something to add about the progress our our territories. Please, anything." He traveled his gaze onto the scorpion. "Nakti, is everything going along in the desert swimmingly? Please, do share."

Quote :: Nakti Kaina
Species: Emperor Scorpion

She picked up the piece of glass with her pincers, holding them in front of her before placing each shard aside. She paused, almost as if she would respond. Then she carried another piece over and quietly set it down elsewhere. "No, it's going well."
"That's what I meant."
She set another shard aside and gave a callous glance to the owl Samuel with prattling thoughts ruminating around in her head. "May I kill him."
"No, you may not. He is a member of the council," Jengo sighed.
The scorpion clacked her claws and lowered her stinger. "Ah. Pity."

Posts : 858

Quote :: Lythedh
Sumatran Tiger

Lythedh had to hold back a snort at the exchange of the lion and scorpion. It would be amusing to kill the owl, he’d pay to see such a show. Nakti had quite the power in her sting, watching Samuel squirm would be entertaining. Then to cook him up afterward...he had to keep himself from drooling. Great horned owl sounded like a delicious snack for an otherwise dull meeting. “Maybe one day we will find an excuse to take him out of it,” he mused aloud. “I personally have been reviewing a partnership with my estate and a woman named Khiana Njorogue, who has quite the selection of prey animals. You raise her exotic species on your land and kill them. She was rather interested in joining our pursuit of snow leopards, and by what she told me, she may have a select few. Perhaps we should all take one, introduce her to our plans. She seems to know what she is doing.”

Quote :: Sylvester
Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf

Sylvester laughed at Argus next to him, a broad smile upon his face. It broadened even more so to see Samuel bonk against the large male’s head, the surprise clear on his face. “That’ll knock the hunger from you,” he mused in a tease. “Good thing he landed against your head and not in your lap. I’m certain he’d be food in seconds with that look on your face.” His eyes drew to the owl in question, who was still preening after his ‘accident’. “Yes, like Jengo says, we have doors. You do know how to shift and operate them, do you not? We waste money replacing windows that we can be using on broadening our range. How much money have we even spent on replacing things you’ve broken?”[/color]

Quote :: Sir Samuel
Great Horned Owl and Black-Footed Ferret

“Oh, about three thousand in the last five months,” Samuel quickly replied, fluffing his feathers of glass again before his feathers finally settled smoothly along his back. “My finance scroll lists it all in clear detail. But can I also mention that we have overspent on useless routes? We keep going along the same paths to search, wasting our scouts. That money and resources and scouts themselves could be better served piercing the mountains, seeing how cold it truly gets and charting our courses from there.”

“That’s the reason why we haven’t - the mountains are too cold. Are you daft, little owl?” Lythedh perked up from the side. “I wonder how long your memory even lasts. “If you want to send some owl scouts over, be my guest. We will gladly feast on the frozen bodies when you return.”

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Nakti Kaina
Species: Emperor Scorpion

She could only hope to be rid of this nuisance at some point, but she was more than patient in the meantime. Settling down into her spot, Nakti listened to the cacophony around her, wondering how life came to be where it was.

Quote :: Jengo
Species: East African Lion

Jengo's eyes rolled onto the Sumatran Tiger as he expelled details about an exotic dealer of prey animals. He may not have liked, or even agreed with Lythedh in most cases, but they both made progress in regards to the snow leopards and their other goals. "Yes, well my interest has been piqued with this Khiana individual." He ruffled his whiskers with a 'hmph.' "But I would discard her from our snow leopard affairs. Exotic dealers have as much loyalty as a high-paid assassin and would soon uproot our plans for her own demands than appeal to our vision. Now, we could use her with strengthening our own kingdom animals. If she is as good as you claim, she can be used elsewhere." Jengo's ears flattened and he turned his lifted chin towards Samuel, rather hesitantly. The owl had gone off about something or other...another reason Lythedh and him agreed was in their disdain towards Samuel. If he wasn't so renowned in his land no one would have tolerated him for as long. "Ugh, well for as poor as your comment was, I do believe there may be traction in it, Sir Samuel." His noble glance flicked to the tiger. "If we are succeeding with your snow leopard, Lythedh, we should pull back some of our funds on these routes and redistribute those funds to other areas that need strengthening. Perhaps towards Sylvester and Sir. Kouris." He gestured towards the wolf and bear with a lethargic wave of his paw.

Quote :: Argus A. Kouris
Species: Black Bear

Holding back his burst of laughter from Sylvester's comment, considering they were in the council, only belly-chuffs escaped his bear maw. He wrapped both his paws around his core, smiling with half-closed eyes. "Haha, perhaps next meetin' I keep my jaws out and ready! Snap him up faster than a gold-finned trout!!" Argus laughed at his own comment and the picture of it before clearing his throat and glancing down at the owl, who still was too close to the bear than he had liked. He reached over, scooted Samuel off with his paw after he had finished fluffing out. "Gettin' me all dirty with yer' nasty bird-dust there, Samuel," he huffed. His ears swiveled to Jengo's offer and he remained quiet for a moment or two. He breathed in a short breath before saying, "can't hurt to pass funds around. I ain't objectin' to it."

Posts : 858

Quote :: Lythedh
Sumatran Tiger
Lythedh nodded slowly at Jengo’s response to his introduction of Khiana. He made a good point, that the bongo woman would be an independent and therefore not be rooted to their ideals or plans. Keeping her around for sport or for other uses though, he could go along with that. “For once I agree. I think we can find good use for her in other places. She does sell lots of prey animals - we could be using those for our conquests in order to lure in more leopards. Exotic meats are tempting as I’d imagine, for a species that tends to only chase what looks worth it. From what she’s told me, her ways of raising and training her herds will prove in our favor, especially if they are unafraid of predators. Easy to send out, easy to consume, and easy for leopards to get caught in our traps. But I suppose scouting is our first priority regardless, even if its boring as ever to wait on others to do your job for you.” He yawned, showing off blood-stained teeth from his hunt that very morning. “Not that I’m volunteering, however. I do have success with my leopard, yes. I’m fairly certain she’s hiding her offspring from my view, but I am certain they exist. Once I find them, I can bring them here to show you the success in full. I am free to hand funds over now that I have my other tasks to attend to.”

Quote :: Sylvester
Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf
Sylvester chuckled a bit with the imagery of Argus snatching up the owl and choking him down, feathers and all, to a peaceful silence afterward. It would have been nice to see it, if only just to get a temporary laugh from the otherwise deary meetings. Jengo spoke to the entirety of the council, and the wolf bowed his head. “I can pass on a small portion. I have already sent a few groups to pursue two that I saw on my territory recently, within the past month. My resources are stretched thin because of it. But next time we meet, I should have them with me to decide on their fates.”

Quote :: Sir Samuel
Great Horned Owl and Black-Footed Ferret
Samuel scoffed as he was nudged aside by a giant bear paw, glaring over at the hulking male with disdain. “I’m trying to help you, a little dirt doesn’t hurt anyone,” he barked, rolling his eyes and preening the area he was nudged at before flying to settle on the council table. If he wasn’t allowed on his perch, he’d be in the center. Nowhere else to sit but the ceiling beams, and that was not suitable. “Distribute the coin to scouts, and we will be finding more leopards by the week. When we each have one, we will really be in business, and can truly pursue the mountains. But cubs don’t exactly come along easily, so the quicker the better. Hopefully your word stands up Lythedh, or yours will be the first to journey through the range.”

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Jengo
Species: East African Lion

Jengo's ears perked to catch Lythedh's response related to the exotic dealer, and they appeared to be on the same page. Lythedh as usual mentioned exotic meats. It was such a strange oddity for him to fancy, and certainly not one the lion shared. He only ate from prey animals originating on his lands and had no interest in broadening his horizons there. "Very well, that should do very nicely then. Enjoy your own delicacies to your desires, Lythedh, but I am not too concerned regarding the matters of prey. I have my fill from my lands," he explained. The lion moved his golden eyes elsewhere with regality resonating from his expression. "So you bring no snow leopard to show us, nor any cubs...hmm, that is quite disappointing Lythedh." Jengo's eyes narrowed at him suddenly and he snipped, "I would have so loved to see the progress you've made. One would think you would flaunt your successes to us instead of just providing your word." He clicked his tongue against his teeth, flickering his sights onto Sylvester. "As for you, excellent work, but if more resources are sent your way that might help -speed the process along. We should have the northern lands and these leopards sooner rather than later." He listened to the owl next, who offered a warning to the tiger which caused Jengo's maw to curl slightly in a smirk in approval. "Hopefully your word stands up Lythedh, or yours will be the first to journey through the range." He concurred.

Quote :: Argus A. Kouris
Species: Black Bear

The winged rat has such little sass at times, Argus merely chuffed to himself. His beady eyes followed Sir Samuel as he flew to his perch and cleaned through his feathers. After hearing the owl, the bear passed his eyes onto Sylvester and Lythedh sleepily. He was not one to butt-into a conversation without reason. The effort simply wasn't ideal is all, and Argus would have much rather allowed the other council members to come to an agreement. He scratched his burly neck with his elongated claws, holding back a yawn as he watched Jengo pass the tiger some quick glances.

Posts : 858

Quote :: Lythedh
Sumatran Tiger
Lythedh mused over the meeting, tail tip waving back and forth on the edge of the cushion he lounged across. He expected this to be a simple meeting, an exchange for scouts before they all stayed to enjoy the amenities and headed home after. He imagined Sylvester and Argus especially would be sticking around for a couple of days, a weekend trip to the larger estate. The two men always got along better than the rest of the council combined. However, when Jengo addressed him, this time accusatory, the tiger’s eyes narrowed as he slid his gaze to the lion. “Well, I can’t have my snow leopard keeping our cubs away from me forever. If she learns of what her children will be doing, she may try to run, or worse, kill off the cubs herself. I’d rather spare their lives and use them to our advantage later when trained properly. If I brought them tonight, she may get it in her silly head that we are a threat to her offspring. Females are quite protective of their cubs, I’d rather not get into that nonsense.” He yawned as though it was old news, disregarding the fact that Persefoni was in on the meeting. But it was true, mothers were protective of their young. He didn’t want any part in that anger, regardless if he couldn’t find Aaliyah or had her in his grasp at the estate.

Quote :: Theodemar
Theodemar searched Angeline’s attic for decorations she asked him to fetch, opening box after box and not finding anything relating to winter or the solstice. Though he had found some interesting things she had saved, such as toys from her youth and seeds to be planted throughout the different seasons, winter decor was something else entirely and he had not found their place. It had taken him a while already, but he didn’t want to pull his girl away from her cooking to help him find the box. He was sure it was simple and he was simply overlooking it. Letting out a soft sigh, he began looking through each box again, sorting through all the belongings. A few minutes later, however, he stumbled across a smaller one that he had set aside earlier and forgot to look through. Opening the top revealed the decorations inside, little snowflakes and candles at the top and more underneath, and he smiled, picking it up in his arms and making his way down the attic stairs, putting the door back up before he began his trek back into the kitchen, the smells of the meal she made carrying through the house and warming his core.

Quote :: Adelaide
Adelaide’s heart pounded wildly in her chest when her eyesight landed on the deer village she and her family approached. It had been a decent time since she had wandered anywhere near, having been traveling for the past few months to earn some coin and buy a bigger house. Now settled with a two-story dwelling in a village near the deer, she was ecstatic to have been invited with her family to where her best friend Angeline lived. The two had grown up together, their families having lived near one another in the past and allowing them both to have sleepovers, playdates, and various other small gatherings. Being back with her would be the highlight of her week, perhaps her entire year. Skipping ahead of the people behind her, she beelined for Angel’s house, knowing exactly where it was even in the snow. Everyone was preparing for the winter solstice celebration, and though she said hello to those she knew and waved to others that greeted her, she wanted to see her friend first and foremost. Darting through the neighborhood, she finally reached the quiet home, winter flowers budding on the front porch and around the foundation of the house. Angeline certainly had a green thumb, moreso than Adelaide could. Hopping up the steps, she knocked loudly on the door before turning the doorknob, thrilled that it was unlocked. She swung it open, grinning brightly when she saw her best friend preparing food in her kitchen for the solstice. “Angeline!” She raced over to her after closing the door, embracing her in a tight hug but careful to not disturb your cooking. “It smells delightful in here! I haven’t seen you in forever and you haven’t lost your touch.”

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Jengo
Species: East African Lion

For as unsatisfactory as it was to not have the snow leopard nor the cubs at the event, Lythedh provided a reasonable explanation for their absence. The lion's ear flicked at his dismay and his tail moved in closer around him. He hoped such a thing was true, but for the time being he saw no reason to object. "I see, that's fortunate then. I'll allow you to tend to that yourself then, Lythedh," he uttered lowly. The lion rumbled in his throat and glanced elsewhere. "We should discuss who the next snow leopard female will go to, and what we will do with the males when we inevitably find one." The lion scanned over the council slowly and said, "I for one would prefer to use the males in our ranks. To prevent an uprising, we should disperse all snow leopards in separate territories and keep them below positions of authority as guards or what have you once their spirits have been broken." Jengo rose his chin subtly with a flicker of anticipation twinkling in his eye. "And I believe I am suitable for the next female for a lion leopard hybrid as it would be an interesting combination. I look forward to the potential, but we shall go by vote." The lion snuffed, "what say you all?"

Quote :: Angeline Gray
Tags: Theodemar, Adelaide

Oh the excitement! The winter solstice, it was her favorite time of the year. Angeline's cheeks warmed at the joy welling inside as she stirred her spoon through her homemade soup. She couldn't wait to share this moment with Theo, and to see village all together. As she smiled to herself, she sent a glance at the rising bread in her stone stove. Its succulent aroma filled the air and she set her spoon aside, slid over to the oven, and pulled out the bread with her oven mitts. She set the first loaf on the table, pulled off her mitts, and nodded to herself. "Perfect, well done Angeline," she bubbled happily. Planting her hands on her hips with a perky nod and smile, Angel hurried back over to her tomato soup. She dipped the utensil into the basil, tomato mixture, tasting it for flavor and nodding her head a few times. Close, but it needed a bit more salt. She added a dash or two to give it the extra kick it needed. "Just gotta finish the soup and finish the other loafs," Angel giggled to herself. A few footsteps caught the girl's attention as Theo came down from the attic. She smiled at once, looking over to him with twinkling eyes. "Theo, you found them-!" Angeline was interrupted by a few loud knocks on the door. She jumped off her feet and looked at her front door with a bewildered glance, but a smile reemerged on her lips once she saw who had swung open her front door - Adelaide! Her old friend rushed over, embracing her as a chain of laughter rose from Angeline. She squeezed her friend tightly. They were more family than friends in her eyes and she was overjoyed to have her here. "Addy!! You're here!- I've missed you!" She giggled, cheeks flushing in her joy. "So much has happened! I need to tell you everything!"

Posts : 858

Quote :: Lythedh
Sumatran Tiger
The tiger bowed his head at Jengo, glad the male backed down from the subject of Aaliyah and their cubs. He didn’t need pestering questions about them, especially when he hadn’t found them - and hadn’t exactly cared about them with Persefoni keeping him company in his Estate. The topic switched to the future snow leopards that would be captured and brought in, and his interest perked up, ears twitching forward. “Well, you had offered yourself as the suitor our first time around. It is only fair to offer you second place with the next female we happen to capture. My vote is aye, but I don’t know what the others say.”

Quote :: Sylvester
Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf
Sylvester was having a good time chatting with Argus, quietly conversing while the big cats got their fill of spitting before the air shifted in the room. Turning his head, he caught onto the tail of Jengo’s statement, asking for a vote for the next snow leopard taker. His tail curled tightly around himself, head lifting slightly. “I have very good sources that tell me we are close to capturing the leopards we have found on our land. I think it is fair that I take the female if there is one. You are free to take any males, Jengo, for your soldiers. You have done well with the prey in your care, and I would trust you with any male leopards. Females, however, I think should be up to whoever captures them. I don’t want to give you the specimen I’ve been tracking for months, just for a game of rank.”

Quote :: Sir Samuel
Great Horned Owl and Black-Footed Ferret
Samuel watched the males argue, chuckling under his breath as he ruffled his feathers and adjusted himself on the tabletop. The bigger animals were always so amusing to watch, arguing over ownership of one animal or another. If he wasn’t so caught up in it himself, he’d have thought it all as crude. But he wanted a leopard too and wasn’t about to lose any of his own chances. “Why not just see when she’s brought here?” he piped up. “See who she best fits. A smaller female won’t do well with a large lion like you, Jengo, and a tough beast won’t put up with a smaller wolf like you, Sylv. So why not just see what she’s like and go from there?” He smirked, talons clicking on the table he sat upon.

Quote :: Adelaide
Adelaide giggled loudly to be in her best friend’s embrace, so overjoyed to be back in her presence again. Traveling could be so lonely when she couldn’t be with Angeline, or even write her letters. Jumping from town to town made it impossible to receive anything, even if Angel had sent anything. Now that she was back in town, she wondered if she should even travel again. This was home, regardless of where her family was. Angel was part of her family. She opened her mouth to express her own joy when saw a young man enter the kitchen and living room space, setting a box of decorations on the table. Her jaw dropped further and she squealed, squeezing Angel’s hand. “No kidding!” she whispered, unable to hold back her giggles as she bounced on her toes a little. “First off, who is that tall drink of water? Second, you have a tall drink of water, in your home, right now? You, little innocent Angel?! You have to spill everything!” She glanced to the kitchen, then back to her. “Maybe not literally though,” she finished with a wink.

Quote :: Theodemar
Theodemar leaned his elbow on the box, smiling at the two young women a few feet away. He didn’t recognize the new taller girl, but Angeline obviously did, so he just watched with amusement to see them so excited to see one another. He saw the guest glance over to him a couple of times, and his cheeks flushed, having to distract himself with pulling out some of the decors to lay on the table, so his girl could sort out what she wanted to put where. He didn’t want to be the center of attention, and besides, Angel deserved a break from her cooking. She had been doing so well all morning that he felt guilty he couldn’t help out more. Other than chopping vegetables, and fetching these ornaments, ribbons, and other various winter decorations, he hadn’t been much help. His angel certainly seemed happy though regardless, and that’s all he could ask for really. As he reached into the box and pulled out more things, he pulled out a small red ribbon bow, almost resembling a bowtie. He couldn’t help but smirk and attached it right onto the collar of his dark green sweater before going back to sorting out the box.

Admin Posts : 528

[/quote]

Quote :: Jengo
Species: East African Lion

Jengo gave a puff of air at his approval when Lythedh agreed, and the lion rolled back his head as his eyes panned over to the others. Sylvester pulled from his current discussion with the bear to answer, but surely the wolf would follow the tiger's example. What could a wolf gain from all this? Especially in comparison to a lion. Lythedh was the only opinion of the council he had any suspicions about, but when the wolf spoke, saying he wanted his females, Jengo's ears pricked in his alarm. His tail flipped about over his throw pillow. "It is not a game of rank, but the entitlement of what is best moving forward toward our goal. Regardless of the time you have spent tracking these leopards, Sylvester, a wolf leopard hybrid would not be the best investment at this time. What do we hope to gain from such offspring? They may serve as good scouts, but we need more robust soldiers. We need offspring that can fight! Once we have the north, we can expand our numbers and ALL of us can have claim to multiple females." His brows furrowed as a growl rumbled deep in his throat to the wolf's proposition. He snapped a glare to the owl, "Dare I say, that makes some sense..." Jengo mumbled. "But regardless of size, I think I still concur with my own proposition."

Quote :: Argus A. Kouris
Species: Black Bear

Argus gave a hearty belly chuckle when he conversed with Sylvester, but his attention was gradually pulled back to the council when Jengo demanded a tally of votes. The bear spewed air from his nostrils, listening to Sylvester refute the lion's wishes. Oh no, the lion ain't gonna like that for sure... He breathed out slowly and shook his head as Jengo had voiced his frustrations. Argus scratched his burly neck and chuffed, "if it's a strong fighter you want, I've got claws and a thick hide-" He caught Jengo's piercing stare and slumped his shoulders as the big cat growled back, "and allow such a lazy animal to pass that laziness onto our soldiers? Please, Argus! We'd have all of our soldiers sleeping and stuffing their faces with food instead of protecting our lands!" The bear's expression dropped and he shook his head, slumping himself to face away from the lion with a scowl. He laid his ears flat with a rumble and looked aside. "Oof, no need to pull whiskers over it, Jengo, I'm not even interested in havin' anything but my bear cubs at home. Ain't like you're such a great role model either. All yer cubs will probably each try to overthrow each other." He knew the lion's muzzle was wrinkling over the insult but he hadn't cared much. The bear looked to Sylvester. "I'm with Sylvester on this one, I think it's fair if he reaps what he sows so to speak. I ain't too good with metaphors but I know that one, so that's my vote," he assured with a smile. "Or seein' what the leopard looks like when she's here -what the bird said."

Quote :: Nakti Kaina
Species: Emperor Scorpion

She slowly closed and opened her pincer. "If only they were bite-sized," the scorpion uttered to herself. Her shiny black eyes moved to the group.

Quote :: Angeline Gray
Tags: Theodemar, Adelaide

Her face turned bright pink when Adelaide had glimpsed Theo, her jaw nearly dropping at the sight of him. Angel flustered and rocked on her small feet excitedly as Adelaide gushed over the things she'd missed. She finished off what she had to say with a wink, causing Angel to laugh and shake her head gleefully. If Angeline had smiled anymore her cheeks would hurt, but she couldn't help herself when so much was happening. The girl bobbed up and down on her toes, unable to contain her excitement. She muttered back, "I knoooow!! And he is just the most amazing thing ever, Addy, you'll absolutely adore him! He is just-AH..." She grabbed her friend's hand, taking her in front of Theo, brimming with glee. "He's an elk! He makes me feel like I'm his little shoulder angel when we shift together, it's so funny!" She giggled sweetly. "He's the sweetest thing too...cooked me breakfast this morning and everything," she bubbled as she looked at Theo, beaming up at him with pure joy. "And Theo - this is Adelaide! We've basically grown up together, she's honestly a sister to me! She is amaaazing!"

Posts : 858

Quote :: Sylvester
Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf
Jengo spoke his opinion to the council, causing Sylvester to chew on his inner gums as he pondered the sentiment. Yes, they did need soldiers to scale the mountains and defend against whatever existed within them. But at the same time, wolves were used to traveling in their pack. And they were strong that way. He puffed out his chest, directing his attention to the lion. “What’s the use of fighting if we can’t even get over the mountains as it is? We want to actually reach the other side before investing in strong fighters. If I had multiple offspring with this next snow leopard, they could travel together and succeed in scouting out the land beyond. Then, with the knowledge they accrue, we can plan to travel there, or send off the next selections of offspring, to fully conquer the other side. It is pointless if we cannot even make it there, though. Unless….” He huffed, shaking his head. “We could call a truce. The female stays in my care when I capture her, and until we get a second, neither one of us claims her. That way we can make our choices and both have a chance. I just don’t feel comfortable tossing my valuable wealth in this leopard to you, Jengo, regardless of the success we would likely have.”

Quote :: Adelaide
Adelaide wanted to pull question after question from Angeline, but when she pulled her towards Theo, those questions faded as she grinned up at the handsome man. “An elk? You found a man taller than the both of us?! I’m so impressed! I want to see your shift soon though, Theo,” she teased, extending her hand to the man. ”I can’t say I see elk too often, even around here!” He shook her hand with a nervous smile, and she just about fell apart on the inside. “I guess I don’t have to tell you to treat her well. But don’t get too cocky sir! I’ll be pummeling your antlers into the ground faster than you can shift if you ever do anything out of line.” Giggling a bit, she squeezed Angel’s hand. “I’m so glad you can provide company to my sweet Angeline though regardless! I’m sure she’s been missing me terribly.”

Quote :: Theodemar
Theo was a bit stuck between the two women and was not used to being the center of attention. He had his dose of it when he used to wear his armor around the village, and did not favor it. Not when he was the center of attention for the opposite reasons at the estate. Cheeks and nose red, he laughed a bit at the two. They certainly seemed to like him, though he couldn’t tell why Angel’s ‘sister’ was so excited about him being there. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Adelaide,” he greeted with a smile, placing a fist on his heart and bowing a bit. It caused another fit of giggles from the other young woman. “I will show you my shift tonight when we are all out in the open. I hit my antlers on the ceiling if I shift in here.” He pointed sheepishly to a spot on the ceiling, a hole gashed there that had been rushingly patched up. ”I’m in the process of fixing it. I do think my Angel will benefit from a friend around though. I can only provide so much, as can the village.” Shrugging, yet still smiling, he wrapped his arm around Angeline’s shoulders and kissed her temple before releasing her, his eyes glancing to the stove. “I think your soup may be almost done,” he reminded her gently. “After that, do you both want to help me with this decor? You two can catch up while I get it all organized.” He wasn’t about to interrupt their reunion, but he knew Angel would be happier with the decorations up before the solstice that evening.

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Jengo
Species: East African Lion

The lion rose on his fore paws, bulges of muscles contracting from beneath his sandy hide as his claws threatened to bare themselves. He furrowed his muzzle as he said, "very well, Sylvester. I wager I can accept that proposition for now, but I expect you keep to your word." He held his frustrations at bay for the time being. His ears pulled forward as he composed himself with a regal huff. "Keep us informed regarding these snow leopards and how many are captured when the time comes. We can meet again to disperse the males and females among us -fairly." Jengo turned his chin, passing Lythedh a cool glance. "Let us know if you are able to bring your cubs forward at any point as well."

Quote :: Angeline Gray
Tags: Theodemar, Adelaide

Angeline busted a laugh to Adelaide playful threat and she shoved her with her sides sore from laughing. "Adelaideee!! He won't do anything of the sort - don't threaten him, poor boy!" She sent her overjoyed smile to Theo, eyes glistening in her delight. "If she does anything of the sort Theo, go straight to me! I'm not intimidating but I'll get Atticus to drag her out and give her a good scolding!" She passed Adelaide a playful scowl with one hand propped at her hip, but she looked more like a baby rabbit frustrated over a lost snack than anything. A big grin escaped her and Angeline felt Theo's hands came affectionately around her shoulders. She nestled into him, giggling over the sweet kiss he had given her, but her brows flew upward at his comment. "Oh YEAH!" She exclaimed, hurrying over to her soup without a second thought. She grabbed her spoon, stirred the soup, and gave it a little test before nodding her head and taking the pot off the heat. "I think that's an awesome idea! We get to show you all the fun stuff we use for the holidays! You've celebrated the solstice before, haven't you, Theo? Not like our village of course but have you celebrated it in your own way?" She laughed at Adelaide to explain, "he came from the outside world, he's brand new to a lot of things."

Posts : 858

Quote :: Sylvester

Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf
Sylvester couldn’t help but be greatly amused by the lion’s distaste for the whole ordeal. And he started off so confident too. Unable to hold back his smirk, a small breathy chuckle escaped him. “I feel that is fair. I will come with updates, or snow leopards, or both next time we meet. I am certain with the extra funding, I will have them in my care in no time.” Head lifted high, he looked to Argus. “I want to say that concludes our meeting. Funds passed around and the like. Why don’t you and I hit the local golf course for the rest of the day, Argus? Make it a guys day out while we’re here. I’m sure they’ve cleared the main parts of the majority of snow.”

Quote :: Theodemar
Theo grinned with a loud laugh at Angel’s sudden outburst. “Oh you’re plenty intimidating, especially with your cooking. I’ll never live up to it.” Continuing to set out the decorations, organizing them by color initially, he mused over the prospect. At least Angel had a backup; Atticus could beat up just about anyone, if the stories were true. “But I will keep an eye on her don’t worry.” He flashed a wink to Adelaide, causing her to giggle and help him organize the box. As Angeline rushed over to her soup and pulled it off the stove, checking on her other makings, she asked him if he practiced solstice. He frowned, but only in thought. “I...can’t say that I ever have,” he replied. “Lord Lythedh didn’t celebrate it in any typical way, and certainly not a community dinner. The only thing I remember is I was on watch for the winter ball, so I spent most of my time in the snow.” He gave a small smile to the two women. “So I’ll enjoy this much better, I think.”

Quote :: Adelaide
Adelaide couldn’t believe her ears when her sister said Theo came from the outside world, and even more when he spoke of being out in the cold for the solstice. Where did Angeline find this man?! She had a dozen more questions added to her already long list to ask. Sorting though the decorations, she looked over to the brunette man. “Wow… that’s so sad, Theo! You must join us for everything! We won’t leave you out in the cold. Well, not intentionally! There’s many fun things to do. Like building snowmen!” She giggled softly, patting his arm. “The solstice is absolutely amazing, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time. Especially with Angel on your arm. She knows her stuff.” She grinned over at the redhead. “Do you need any help with the food before decorating?”

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Argus A. Kouris
Species: Black Bear

Glad the brief conflict was stifled out, Argus watched the lion settle back down into his bedding and relax. There was still a tick of annoyance in his eye but the main debate had been handled for now. The black bear's ears swiveled towards Sylvester at the proposal to play a few rounds of golf. A smile came upon his chops and he chuffed a laugh, saying, "the miss's isn't going to like it! Told her I'd be back sooner to spend time with the cubs," he muttered with his paw by his mouth to make it look like he was whispering. He chuckled and slumped his paw back down. "Snow's never bothered me none. I brought something to nibble on for the road. A game sounds mighty swell, Sylvester."

Quote :: Angeline Gray
Tags: Theodemar, Adelaide

Angeline sighed at Theo lovingly. "Thank you! I'm glad someone finds me intimidating! HMPH!" She mused with a giggle, placing her hands back on her hips with a stern nod to affirm her point. Amusing herself, Angeline turned back to her soup and covered it with a lid. The aroma from the soup sifted through the crack in the lid, dancing at her nose wonderfully. Her smile faded softly at Theo's explanation of never experiencing a solstice aside from the snow. Adelaide seemed to share Angeline's sympathy, but her friend's bubbly response brightened her face. Strands of her strawberry blonde hair fell in front of her face and she brushed the locks away with her hand. Her shoulders rose and fell as she laughed to Adelaide's compliment about knowing the holidays. "Hehe- I tryyy! I mean this time of year is so special to me, ever since I was a tiny-tiny fawn. I was more of a mouse than a fawn really!" She laughed and passed a sweet glance to Adelaide. "Yeah! If you could slice up the bread that would be awesome!" She loved how the people she lived with were so inclined to help. They were honestly so amazing, and Theo fit right in too. She wondered how many others of their kind were outside of the village, needing saving like he had. She was sure they would fit in just as well, but she couldn't do anything about it right now. "You have tons of catching up to do, Theo! I'm gonna teach you everything!! Gosh, I'm surprised you have no idea what it is though, it is so ingrained in who we are as deer! The solstice celebrates mid-winter and how difficult it was for our ancestors to find food this time of the year!" Angeline explained, lifting on her toes with a twinkle in her eye. "So we make lots of food as a way to celebrate what we have now! It's a tradition! We use lots of berries in the foods! Many of the stars in my decor symbolize the stars we used way back when to navigate the land! It suuuuper cool!"

Posts : 858

Quote :: Sylvester
Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf
Sylvester smirked at the bear, chuckling softly at the thought of the bear’s wife getting onto him about getting home late. Meetings like these usually lasted a couple days; they could afford an extra day or so playing golf. “I’m sure we can make up an excuse as to why you’re not back so quickly. Not like I’ve got a thrilled love awaiting me when I’m home either.” He grinned with pearly white teeth over at his friend. “Shall we meet on the course in say, an hour? I can get my clubs from the guest house and we can tee off before noon.”

Quote :: Theodemar
Theo smiled at Angeline’s comment, eyes twinkling in amusement. He hadn’t seen her quite this energetic in a while - it must have something to do with Adelaide being here. Not that he minded however, he was happy when his girl was happy. Fishing out the items from the bottom of the box, he glanced to Angel and laughed. “I gotta say, I would have loved to see little mouse Angeline prancing around in the snow. It’d be like Red, except even smaller!” He grinned, nudging his girlfriend playfully. He wondered that, if he and Angel got married and ended up with children, if they would be as small as she was. He certainly wouldn’t mind that one bit. Setting the now empty box on a nearby chair, he put his hands on his hips and observed the collection. He was surprised by just how many she had. Picking up one of the ornaments for a tree, he rolled it around in his hand and glanced over to listen about the solstice celebration. None of it was familiar, but he did like the excitement in Angeline’s eyes when she explained it. “I like those traditions,” he mused. “And even moreso that I get to experience them this year with you.” He leaned down and kissed her nose with a small laugh. “What does this decor mean then, in the grand scheme of things? Is there any special tradition for these?”

Quote :: Adelaide
Adelaide grinned, nodding as Angel asked her to slice the bread. She hummed a tune to herself as she cut into the loaves her sister had made, listening in to the conversation behind her. Angel had truly found herself one heck of a guy, she could say that for certain! If only he had a brother...did he? Or a best friend? She might have to inquire about that later. But she simply giggled to herself, glad to see Angeline had found someone regardless that made her as happy as she was.

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Argus A. Kouris
Species: Black Bear

Argus perked his ears in his enthusiasm, gesturing at himself with his paw as he said nobly, "nothin' better than a relaxing afternoon of golf, topped with a hearty dinner and a relaxed evening away from home." He met the wolf's toothy grin with his own smirk and chuckled, "I wager I can beat ya to the first hole this round, wolf. I'm more than willin' to bet some money on it if you are!" The bear moseyed onto his side, rocking onto his large fore-paws to get up from his sitting position with a big grin on his face.

Quote :: Angeline Gray
Tags: Theodemar, Adelaide

Angeline laughed when Theo compared her to Red bouncing around in the snow, feeling her cheeks warm in her delight. She figured he was right about that. A smile swept over her face and she closed her eyes as Theo kissed her nose. She looked back up at his dashing face when he asked about their traditions but it was so bizarre to her to have to explain a deer tradition to a deer. Their ways were so ingrained in herself and everyone here that she took it for common knowledge. "Most of the symbols aren't super specific or anything, like the stars for example!" She explained, picking out a few white star-shaped ornaments and handing them off to Theo. "We use a lot a tons of berries! We paint them on our ornaments, use them as decor, and basically all of our deserts- scarlet winterberries, blue juniper berries, purple beautyberries, and orange soapberries! They can be super tasty as toppings! And we really only eat them during the winter solstice! We use them in our celebrations because they were once our main source of food, so they're pretty important! She showed Theo the painted ornaments with a warm giggle. "It brings a nice pop of color, so that's why I really like it! We also bring in a decorative tree, I have a fake one Sophia gave me wayyyy back when. It's a little painted tree, but we hang up our ornaments on it and it's suuuper cute." She pointed out swiftly, "the tree is a sign of rebirth from one season to the next. The trees give us hope for spring! We take the tree down around springtime, but before we do, we decorate it with flowers! You should see the village then, it is so pretty and there's flowers everywhere!" Angeline smiled happily to herself, eager for spring with Theo at her side. Nothing was better than waking up early in the spring with the amazing fragrances of her flowers traveling through her house. "The bucks usually have a little playful duel during the winter solstice. We don't have a rut, like we once did, but the strongest bucks are usually given a title at this event. So that happens during our solstice much after our feast together as a village. Some people really look forward to that and can act soooo competitive. Pf! Some families legit make that into their whole identity, like they're the ones with the highest rut titles!" She rolled her eyes with a short laugh, then passed her glance at Adelaide. "So glad you weren't here for last year, Addy." Then her eyes moved onto Theo and her brows pulled forward slightly to think. She said, "you might be nudged into competing against the other elk come to think of it. Would you try something like that?"

Posts : 858

Quote :: Sylvester
Mexican and Ethiopian Wolf
”Betting money?” Sylvester couldn’t help but laugh, standing up and stretching out his legs. As much as he exercised, he still felt his age in his bones. Eventually, he hoped to step down from the council and just golf with his friend and spend time with his family. But that was definitely not today, not when the council was making strides in their goal. “You know me too well. I’ll take home your coins today, Argus, just you wait. I’ve been practicing.”

Quote :: Theodemar
Theo listened intently as Angeline began her explanation of the holiday, handing him some of the star ornaments before continuing. It was like a flame was lit within her as she went on and on, explaining the meanings as well as sharing her own experiences. He hadn’t seen her so passionate about anything thus far, and it amused him greatly to watch her. He leaned against the table, ornaments in hand as he smiled and watched her. It was a lot to take in, especially since he knew nothing about the solstice before coming here, but he was certain he could understand it all as he experienced it. He hadn’t celebrated a holiday in...well, since he was a little boy, running around the town square with his friends and throwing ground seeds into the air during one of the celebrations. Theo wished he knew more of it, to share with Angel as she explained everything about the winter solstice. But she seemed happy regardless, which calmed his nerves. She mentioned the tree, and when he looked at the decorations he had pulled out, he didn’t see one there. He would need to get that pulled out from wherever it was stored. Her last section was about the rut, and he would have blushed if it were an actual rut season. He saw it with predators and had little interest in participating in anything similar, no matter how biological it was for deer. It comforted him that it was a tradition and not an actual ritual. Her final comment was a question for him about it actually, and he was caught off guard. Laughing with that surprise, he set down the ornaments carefully before scratching the back of his brunette head. “Competing against other deer? I-I don’t know...I can’t say I’ve defended myself against deer, let alone elk. I know the basics but I wouldn’t know what to do. I did try to fight Atticus once, actually, when he was going to rescue Aaliyah. Looking back, I’m fairly certain I would have lost that fight, especially knowing now that he trained Aaliyah. But… I mean,” he averted his gaze for a moment, “I guess I’d do it, just to get a feel for it. I’ve been around enough predators for a lifetime, and I need some experience with creatures like me.” His gaze slowly went back to Angeline, a small smile on his face. “So I’ll probably do it. Not to win, though. I don’t need any fancy titles, being your champion is enough for me.”

Quote :: Adelaide
Adelaide laughed fully, coming back to the conversation when Angel addressed her. She knew of the courting behaviors that waterbuck possessed, and had little interest in them. But when it came to the battles of deer, she was all for a show. “Are you kidding me? I would have loved to see the men here strut their rut.” She grinned over her shoulder cheekily, finishing up the last slices of bread before turning and crossing her arms, leaning back against the counter. She hadn’t realized how close Angel and Theodemar were standing in proximity to one another, and she couldn’t hold back a giggle. “Oh-ho-ho, a nickname too? Your champion? Angel, you went from zero to one hundred in the time I’ve been gone. This just gets better and better.”

Admin Posts : 528

Quote :: Angeline Gray
Tags: Theodemar, Adelaide

Angeline grew more curious of what was outside of their village. It seemed like nothing outside of it had anything in common with their world! What a bizarre idea, she thought, feeling her perceptions of it was more estranged the more she learned of it. How has Theo never practiced or rutted against others of his kind? She knew it was a predator world but surely there were others like them out there, Adelaide lived out of the village with her family after all and so did Ameya. She brushed her puzzling aside to mull over for a later date and amused herself of her champion's answer. "Well, you know if you decide to go out there I'll be cheering you on every second, my champion. You don't need any other title than that." She laughed, embracing him lovingly and kissing his cheek. She pulled back slightly to hear her friend laughing in the background at the two of them. Angeline's cheeks flushed as she smiled and looked at her perkily. "Well! Champion suits him perfectly!" She booped Theo's nose with a giggle, and glanced back to Adelaide. "We just need to grab you a champion too, then it'll be even better! You'll have no reason to leave, Addy. You could stay in the village with your man if you wanted to and the two of you could strut around all day." She chuckled to herself and said, "I hear the Sambar's are competing this year. Tall dark and handsome stags right there, you said you like boys with a good complexion! Even better, we could have couple dates and team up to make meals on the festivals, how cool would that be?"

Posts : 858

Quote :: Theodemar
At Angeline’s praise, Theo’s face burned red, especially as she hugged her little arms around his waist and her lips met his cheek. He wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to having someone dote on him like she did, but he certainly didn’t complain. It was his favorite part of every day. He opened his mouth to respond with something cheesy, but Adelaide jumped in before and he laughed at her comment, and at Angel’s touch to his nose. He couldn’t say she was ever this bubbly with him, though Adelaide did apparently mean a lot to her. They likely just bounced off each other enough that it brought out her more outgoing side. Perhaps ‘Addy’ did need to stick around for a while. At least he’d have someone else to talk to. The conversation diverted to talking about the men that would be at the competition, and he wandered off in thought for a moment. Did he even stand up to their standards? He hadn’t been around his own species, truly, in many years. He couldn’t remember the last time he was social with anyone of his kind, outside of being a guard and performing his duties for Lythedh. Perhaps he was out of place here. But, even with those thoughts, Angel constantly told him how much he meant to her, how he belonged, and especially how he deserved to be among those of his kind. It eased his soul more than she knew. Remembering that they needed the tree, he kissed her head and murmured in her ear about getting it before leaving the room to go fetch it. It’d give them a few moments to boy talk.

Quote :: Adelaide
Adelaide could have squealed at her sister’s comment had it not been for Theodemar standing next to her. Her own champion, now that would be a dream. Too many men idolized her freedom but never dared to approach her when it came to herself. It was the curse of traveling she supposed, harder to keep a man tied down. But she was also hard to convince to be tied down herself. Giggling loudly, she brushed a few stray strands of brown hair behind her ear. “Hey, if you can find me a man that can convince me to stay, I certainly will! I wouldn’t mind being your neighbor, hanging out and double dating. Especially with one of the Sambar boys, mm. I’m glad you mentioned they’re here, I’m definitely going to watch their duels. I would ask you who you’d be watching, but I guess that’s answered now, huh?” She grinned again, dark eyes sparkling. “Tiny Angel among the elk. That does bring the question though, how do others see you two together? A tiny gray and a giant elk? Quite the match I’d say, and quite suddenly too in the grand scheme of things.”

Animals Within

Lythedh

Sylvester

Sir Samuel

Lythedh

Sylvester

Sir Samuel

Lythedh

Sylvester

Sir Samuel

Lythedh

Theodemar

Adelaide

Lythedh

Sylvester

Sir Samuel

Adelaide

Theodemar

Sylvester

Adelaide

Theodemar

Sylvester

Theodemar

Adelaide

Sylvester

Theodemar

Adelaide

Sylvester

Theodemar

Adelaide

Theodemar

Adelaide